P3P:  My Journey
by Kingdom Liz
Summary: This follows my journey as the protagonist in Persona 3 Portable.  Few things will be altered.  Some things will be added.  It will still follow the main plotline, however...  I'm playing as I write, so it's a suprise for me too.  :
1. April 6th, 2009

~~~ Let me just explain how I'm going about writing this, before you begin. This fanfiction is going to be... for the most part, the same as if you are playing Persona 3 Portable from the fmc's perspective. The main difference, though, is that I am giving the main character my own image, name, and personality. I am also going to elaborate on aspects that don't get as much attention in the game and make it feel more like... well, a story. A lot of events in persona 3 are pretty mundane and get very little attention. My goal is to spice the story up a little bit, as well as give the mc more of a relatable personality. I am literally playing through the game as I write it... so this is taking a while to write. I'm trying to be as accurate with dialogue and events as possible, while still saving room for creativity. I don't know if this is going to be enjoyable to anyone but myself (I'm really just writing it for me) but just in case, I figured I'd go ahead and upload it... So, thanks for checking it out, and I hope you enjoy! (this should be obvious, but there will be spoilers, when it gets far enough into the story... since it will follow the same plotline.)

Disclaimer: I own NOTHING. I can't even really completely claim the main character, sooo... yeah. This is just for lulz. Enjoy!

Monday, April 6th, 2009

I'm not afraid of being alone, but... if I haven't got my headphones on, I feel extremely vulnerable. I've never really understood why, but I've come to accept this as fact. I clipped them onto my ears as I waited to board the next train... the train to Iwatodai.

I'm moving there as a transfer student; I'll be attending a high school called "Gekkoukan" as a junior, this year. I was originally from Port Island, but... 10 years ago, my parents died, and I went to live with my aunt and uncle... they live in Osaka. I was happy enough living with them... but, deep down, I'd always longed to come back here.

Things seemed so much simpler back then. Maybe I was just lonely, and missed my parents. Maybe I just wanted to... reminisce. Whatever the reason, I'd finally convinced my aunt and uncle to let me go to school here and stay in a dormitory... and I was very excited for the coming year.

**Meanwhile, elsewhere ...**

**A young girl is sitting on the floor, gasping. Her head is in her hands as though she is in extreme pain...**

**"I just... put it to my head... And pull the trigger... No chickening out..."**

**She, slowly, raises a gun and positions it in the center of her forehead. She takes several shaky breaths before dropping the gun to her side in frustration.**

**"No... I can't!"**

...

Inside the New City passenger train "Anehazuru"...

"Due to a malfunction in the switching system, today's rail schedule has been greatly altered," the train conductor announced. "We apologize to any customers who were in a hurry. The next stop is Iwatodai."

The train shook noisily as it made its way down the tracks to my new home. I took out my cell to check the time: it was getting close to midnight, already. I sighed and began flipping through songs on my mp3 player, in search of something that fit my current mood...

There isn't much that I find more peaceful than a quiet train ride at night. It's always so nice to watch the scenery pass by in a blur, and to feel the gentle rattling of the cars as they carry you to your destination. I leaned my head back against the chilled window behind me and closed my eyes, contemplating what it would be like to finally return to my childhood home...

The train screeched to a stop at the station as an announcement was made over the PA. I quickly stood and slung my bag over my shoulder, careful not to bump into anyone as I made my way to the door.

"Iwatodai. This is the final train bound for Tatsumi Port Island. Please take care to board before our departure."

The train doors slid open at last. I stepped down onto the platform and headed for the exit. Thanks to the delay, I'd arrived about 2 hours later than anticipated... I had to hurry. There was no telling if anybody at the dorm would even still be awake, at this hour...

I stepped outside, on route to the Iwatodai Dormitory... but, something about the atmosphere seemed odd. All of the lights were out, and the city had a faintly green-ish glow to it... I decided not to ponder on it too much, but that it would probably be best to hurry to the dorm.

I wrapped my jacket more tightly around myself to keep out the freezing wind as I walked. But... as I looked around, I started to notice... the city was deserted. A chill ran down my spine that had nothing to do with the cold, and I suddenly stopped to take in my surroundings. The moon was nearly full, and it was eerily gigantic... There was blood everywhere... And there were... upright coffins? Fear began to rise within me and I hastened my pace.

"Am I going insane?" I murmured to myself, breaking into a run. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. I shot a paranoid glance behind me every now and then as I ran, just to make sure nothing was behind me. According to the directions I'd been given, I was nearly there... just a bit further...

"This must be it..." I slowed to a stop in front of an intimidating-looking building with large, beautiful windows and double doors. A sign on the outside of it read "Gekkoukan High School, Iwatodai dorm"... This was definitely the dorm mentioned in my admission pamphlet. I inhaled deeply and made my way up the steps to the entrance.

The inside of the dormitory was pitch-black... but, then again, it was after midnight. I quietly closed the door behind me, grateful that it was still unlocked.

"Welcome."

My heart lept into my throat and I stumbled backwards out of fright, unable to even speak. Standing by the check-in desk was a little boy wearing striped pajamas. I opened my mouth, trying to think of something to say, and then closed it again.

"You're late. I've been waiting a long time." he smiled at me as he said this.

I swallowed, realizing that maybe he was the person who was supposed to admit me into the dormitory. I was late, after all... thanks to the train. "I'm sorry... th-there was a delay..." I stuttered, trying not to look too afraid.

The boy held a piece of paper out to me. "If you want to proceed, then please sign here. It's a contract... There's no need to be scared. It only binds you to accepting full responsibility for your actions." I blinked, starting to feel unbelievably tired. _'Contract...? Oh, it must be a mandatory check-in proceedure.'_

My shoulders were grateful as I set my bag onto the floor and picked up a pen to sign the contract. It contained only the following: "I chooseth this fate of mine own free will." Below was a blank to sign my name.

"This is a pretty... unique contract..." I squinted to make sure I wasn't missing anything in the dark. I was hesitant due to the strange wording on the page... but I was becoming so tired that I was eager to get settled and go to bed. I decided it couldn't hurt anything, at least.

Somewhat sloppily, I wrote my signature in the blank provided: Emiko Arisato.

I pushed the paper back toward the boy, hoping that that was all I'd have to do. "Very well," he nodded, taking the contract. "Time is something no one can escape. It delivers us all to the same end. Wishing won't make it go away... And so it begins..."

I stared at him uneasily. "Umm... What?"

But he didn't respond. The boy disappeared, as if melting into the darkness...

I shook my head, certain that I must be losing my mind. "I need to get to bed..." I picked up my bag again and peered into the darkness, trying to decide how to find my room... I hadn't thought to bring a flashlight...

"Who's there!" a female voice shouted from the darkness.

I stumbled backward in suprise, again, nearly dropping my belongings. "Umm... I'm the girl who's supposed to move in...?"

The girl approached me. She looked to be about my age, so I assumed she lived in the dorm as well. She had short brown hair and was wearing a pink cardigan. Her expression, however, was one of mixed suprise and fear.

"How can you be...? But it's...! Don't tell me..." she stepped away from me and lifted a gun.

"Wait!" another girl jumped in, suddenly, startling both of us.

At that moment, the lights in the dormitory all turned on. My eyes had gotten so used to the dark that the sudden light made them burn a bit. I blinked several times, hoping to help them adjust. I looked over the two girls in front of me; the new arrival had long, flowing, red hair. They were both very pretty.

"The lights..." the girl in pink let out a sigh of relief as the red-haired girl addressed me with a faint smile.

"I didn't think you'd arrive so late. My name is Mitsuru Kirijo. I'm one of the students who live in this dorm."

The brown-haired girl turned to Mitsuru in confusion. "...Who's she?"

Mitsuru absent-mindedly brushed a lock of hair over her shoulder. "She's a transfer student. It was a last minute decision to assign her here. She'll eventually be moved to a room in the normal dorm."

The other girl bit her lip, a look of concern flashing across her face. "...Is it okay for her to be here?"

Mitsuru chuckled slightly. "I guess we'll see... This is Yukari Takeba," she motioned to the girl in the pink cardigan. "She'll be a junior this spring, just like you."

"...Hi, I'm Yukari." Yukari smiled and bowed her head slightly.

"It's nice to meet you both," I bowed my head in response. "My name is Emiko Arisato... Umm... Isn't this a normal dorm?"

"Huh! Oh, uh... of course it is!" Yukari laughed, nervously digging the toe of her shoe into the carpet.

Mitsuru, however, frowned slightly. "...Not quite. It's a co-ed dorm, for one thing, and there are other differences as well... I'll explain later. It's getting late. You'll find your room on the 3rd floor. Your things should already be there. I suggest you tuck in for the night."

"Oh... I'll show you the way. Follow me." Yukari picked up my bag and looked at me, expectantly.

"Thanks!" I replied with a nod, following her up the stairs to the 3rd floor, where I would finally be able to rest. My room seemed to be at the very end of the hallway, on the righthand side. Yukari unlocked the door and turned to face me.

"This is it... Pretty easy to remember, huh? ...Since it's right at the end of the hall. So, any questions?"

I thought, for a moment, about all of the strange things I'd seen since arriving in Iwatodai... So many questions were stirring in my head. "Umm... I signed a strange contract when I got here..."

Yukari looked perplexed. "Huh? What's this about a contract?"

I thought about explaining what had occurred, but decided against it in favor of cutting our talk short. Bed sounded so good... "Nevermind..." I sighed.

Yukari nodded. "Um... Can I ask you something? On your way here from the station, was everything okay?"

_'Could it be she knows something about the blood and the coffins...?' _I wondered. But, then again, if she didn't... well, she'd definitely decide I was insane. "What do you mean?"

"You know what I- ... Nevermind. It seems like you're alright. Well, I'd better get going..."

She began to walk away and then turned around again. "Um... I'm sure you still have other questions, but let's save them for later, okay? Goodnight." I nodded. "Goodnight, Yukari."

"So, this is it. My new home." I turned the handle and let myself in. It was a small room, but it would definitely work. I sighed, relieved to see that my belongings had all made it here safely. Part of me wanted to spend some time unpacking and organizing, but the part of me that wanted sleep overpowered the other one completely.

I tossed my pillow onto the futon and fell, face-first, into it.


	2. April 7th, 2009

Tuesday, April 7th, 2009

I awoke the following morning with the sun shining upon my face. "Ughhh..." I groaned, rolling over. I wasn't anywhere near fully rested, but I was anxious for my first day of school, and wanted to make a good first impression... So I forced myself to get out of bed, yawning sleepily.

"All I need today, really, is my uniform..." I murmured to myself, digging through my luggage for it. After laying it out on my bed, I decided to go find the bathroom and get myself cleaned up.

...

Back in my room.

A loud knock came at the door, catching me by suprise and nearly causing me to mess up while applying my makeup. "It's Yukari. Are you awake?" I looked over my face in the mirror one last time in approval, setting my black liquid eyeliner aside. "I'm up."

She opened the door and greeted me with a smile. "Good morning. Did you sleep okay? Mitsuru-senpai asked me to take you to school. Are you ready to go?"

I stood and returned the smile, grabbing my mostly-empty backpack. "Of course!"

Yukari nodded, leading the way out. "Okay! Then, let's go."

...

Inside the New City passenger train "Anehazuru"...

The monorail was packed with students heading to Gekkoukan High, this morning. Yukari and I were standing together, looking out a window. The view of the city was absolutely beautiful in comparison to what I'd seen the night before.

"We have to take the monorail to get there," Yukari explained. "Bet your last school wasn't like that, huh?"

I shook my head. "I usually just walked to school, before... But, I actually really like taking the train."

Yukari smiled, gazing out at the sun's rays reflected on the water, below. "I do too. This is my favorite part... when it feels like you're gliding over the sea."

"Yeah... it's nice." I agreed with a sigh. I had a feeling that today was going to be a good day. It was too beautiful not to be.

"Our stop is Port Island Station at the end of the line, by the way. From there, we walk." Yukari informed me. "Have you ever heard of Tatsumi Port Island? It's a man-made island... They built our school right in the middle."

I nodded, reflecting upon my past. "I may have been there once, many years ago... I don't remember much, though."

Yukari looked somewhat suprised. "Oh? Well, look over there... You can see it now!"

Sure enough, in the near distance, I could see the island we were heading toward. It wasn't very big, but it still looked like there was a lot of stuff crammed onto it. "This is so exciting..." I breathed, feeling a rush of adreneline begin to grow within me.

"Yeah, y'know, I think it will be fun going to school together!" Yukari chimed in.

...

At Gekkoukan High

The school was huge and beautiful. It was really well-kept. There were lots of windows, and the walkway leading to the main entrance was lined with beautiful cherry trees, all in full bloom with delicate, pink flowers.

There were lots of other students making their way to school this morning, as well. A girl stopped to greet Yukari. "Good morning!"

"Morning!" she replied with a grin. Yukari then turned to me, "Well, here we are! Welcome to Gekkoukan High! You're gonna love it here!"

I was having trouble taking it all in. It was breath-taking. "This is beautiful...!"

Yukari laughed, opening the door for me. "Well, you haven't seen anything, yet!" We took off our shoes and put them away in the shoe lockers provided at the entrance.

"You'll be okay from here, right? You should go see your homeroom teacher first." Yukari motioned to the hallway on the left-hand side of the lobby. "The faculty office is right there to the left. ...And that concludes the tour! Do you have any questions before I go?"

I considered for a moment, but decided that half of the adventure is in exploring new places and finding your own way around. "Nahh, I'll be okay. Thanks though!"

Yukari nodded, but then adopted a serious expression. "Hey... About last night... Don't tell anyone what you saw, okay? ... See ya later!"

I, honestly, wasn't entirely sure what she was talking about, but decided to smile as though I knew anyway. "Okay! See ya!" I watched as she took off up the stairs.

Before heading to the faculty office, I looked around the lobby a bit. I noticed that there were a lot of students standing in front of a bulletin board. I decided to see what was on it, and found several class rosters pinned up there. Briefly scanning each one for my name, I saw that I was not on any of them yet. I frowned, about to look away, when something caught my eye... there was a small, handwritten note near the bottom that read "Emiko Arisato - Class F". After scanning the roster for that class one more time, I learned that Yukari was in the same class as I.

"Yay!" I exclaimed aloud, accidentally. Several students around me looked over in confusion, and I decided that that was my cue to go visit the faculty office. I walked through the doors leading to the hallway Yukari had pointed out and found the faculty office to be the very first door on the right.

Tentatively, I pushed the door open and stepped inside. There were piles of books everywhere, and the only person present was an intelligent-looking lady wearing a light pink suit. She glanced up and approached me as I entered. "Oh, are you the new student?" She picked up a folder from one of the many file cabinets and began flipping through the pages. "Emiko Arisato... 11th grade, correct? Let's see... In 1999... That was what, ten years ago? Your parents-" she gasped, stopping mid-sentence. "I'm sorry... I've been so busy, I didn't have time to read this before-hand."

"It's okay, really. I understand." I smiled at her. She set the folder down and returned a smile. "I appreciate your forgiveness. I'm Ms. Toriumi. I teach Composition. Welcome to our school!"

I bowed my head slightly. "I'm pleased to meet you."

Ms. Toriumi laughed and placed a hand over her heart. "My, aren't you polite? Girls like you should be an example for others. By the way... have you seen the classroom assignments? You're in 2-F; that's my class!"

"Great! I'm looking forward to it!" I replied, enthusiastically.

My teacher nodded, "But first, we need to go to the auditorium. The Welcoming Ceremony will be starting soon. Follow me."

She held the door open for me and I followed her through the school into the auditorium, where all of the other students were gathered, waiting for the ceremony to begin. "For now, you may just sit beside me, if you like." Ms. Toriumi offered, taking a seat near the middle.

"I will, thank you." I settled into the chair next to hers and began scanning the crowd in search of Yukari. Several minutes of searching later, a short, old man with a plump figure stepped onto the stage, silencing the audience... for the most part.

"As you begin the new school year, I'd like each of you to remember the proverb, 'If a job's worth doing, it's worth doing well.' When applied to student life, this means..."

I tuned the man out and began searching the audience again... I also could vaguely hear some students around me whispering about something...

"I heard we got a transfer student."

"Yep. I've seen her, too. She came to school with Yukari."

I blushed and sank down into my seat a bit, embarrassed that I was already the talk of the school... A teacher several rows in front of me turned around to where the gossiping was coming from and glared at some students behind me. "I hear talking. I believe it's someone in Ms. Toriumi's class..."

Ms. Toriumi shifted in her seat to face the students. "Shhh! Be quiet! You're going to get me in trouble!"

The talking ceased for the time being, but I had a feeling that people weren't going to stop gossiping about me anytime soon...

...

After School

My first day of school at Gekkoukan High had been a success. I was just packing my things back into my backpack when a classmate approached me.

"'Sup, dude!"

I glanced over to the right to see a boy smiling at me. He was wearing a baseball cap. "Oh...! Hi!" I replied, returning the smile. He laughed, cheerfully. "You look like a deer in headlights."

I laughed a little, realizing he was probably right. "What's your name?"

He looked suprised for some reason. "Me? I'm Junpei Iori. Nice to meet ya. I transferred here when I was in 8th grade. I know how tough it is bein' the new kid... So I thought I'd check up on you, make sure you weren't freaking out on your first day."

I'm shy by nature, but I was so relieved that someone had spoken to me. I was eager to make new friends. "Oh, well thank you very much! My name is Emiko Arisato. It's nice to meet you, too."

At that moment, Yukari approached us, looking agitated. "At it again, huh? Honestly, is there any girl you wouldn't hit on?" she sighed, shaking her head. "Did you ever think you might be bothering someone?"

"Oh no! He wasn't bothering me at all!" I reassured them. Yukari didn't look convinced, though. "If you say so... Anyway, some coincidence that we'd be in the same homeroom, huh?"

I nodded, "Yeah, I know!"

She smiled. "Funny, huh?"

"Um, hello? Did you forget I'm in this class too? C'mon, lemme in on the fun!" Junpei seemed to resent being left out of the conversation. "By the way, do you guys know each other? I heard you two came to school together this morning. A couple of cuties like you, walking side by side... The whole class was buzzing about you!" I blushed, "Really...?"

Yukari, however, scoffed. "Ugh... Could you just cut it out? I hate dealing with rumors like that... I mean, I'm used to it, but she just got here, you know? Don't you feel bad, spreading rumors like that? ... Well, I've gotta go take care of some archery team stuff. Don't try anything funny, you got that, Junpei?" She walked off without waiting for a response.

I was speechless; I had no idea Yukari could be so cold... Junpei frowned, "What is she, your nanny...? Well, just to clear something up, I seriously didn't come over here to hit on your or anything."

I looked at him, kindly. "Oh, I never thought you did! That was all her." The smile returned to Junpei's face, "Well, good! If you ever have a problem, you can tell your ol' pal Junpei about it!"

"I'll be sure to remember that." I replied, sincerely.

"Cool. Well, I'll be seeing you around, then!" He picked up his books and left the classroom after waving goodbye.

... Since Yukari was at a club meeting, I decided to try and make it back to the dorm alone. On my way out, though, Junpei caught up with me and persuaded me into letting him walk me back to the dorm. I figured it was for the best, anyway, since the chances that I'd get lost on my own were pretty decent. We chatted a bit along the way.

"Woah, check out the jocks on their run..." Junpei laughed. "Hey, did anyone tell you about the school clubs yet?"

"Oh? No... not yet." I replied, fiddling with my mp3 player.

"Girls can join too, so why not do it if you're interested?" Junpei suggested. "You'd be joining as a new member, though, so you won't be able to apply for a little while."

"Oh cool, well, thanks for the tip! I'll definitely check 'em out once I get the chance."

I wondered what sort of clubs were available at my new school... I truly hoped there would be a choir of some sort I could join... I've always loved singing.

Thanks to Junpei, I successfully made it back to the dorm - and before midnight, tonight. I was pretty satisfied with my first day at school. I'd already managed to catch everyone's attention, and possibly make a couple of friends in my class.

That Evening...

I closed the door of the dormitory behind me and signed in at the front desk. Mitsuru, who was reading on one of the couches in the lobby, glanced up from her book to greet me. "Welcome back."

"Oh, thanks!" I replied, deciding to wander around the lobby a bit. I hadn't gotten a chance to really look at anything last night, due to the circumstances. There were lots of places to sit... couches, armchairs, a big dinner table, and even a bar with some stools. Yukari was seated at the big table by herself, so I decided to sit beside her for a moment.

"Hey, Yukari." She looked up at me with a grin, "Oh, hi. What're you doing?"

"I'm just looking around, really." I replied. She surveyed the lobby for a moment. "Well, there's not much to see... You're probably pretty tired, huh? Maybe you should go to bed early tonight."

She was right... I was pretty beat. Plus, I still needed to get my stuff unpacked. "Yeah, you've got a point. Thanks again for showing me around today! I'm gonna go to my room, now, so... I'll see you tomorrow."

"Anytime! See ya!"

I made my way up the stairs to the third floor and entered my room with every intention of unpacking and organizing my belongings... however, like last night, my knees weakened at the sight of my bed, and I just barely managed to change into pajamas before falling into it and drifting off...

** Later, at the dormitory lounge...**

**A young man walks down the stairs as Mitsuru is reading a book. "I'm going out for a bit," he informs her as he passes by.**

**She glances up at him. "...Hm?"**

**He stops walking and turns to face her. "Have you seen the newspapers lately?"**

**"...I know," Mitsuru sighs and sets her book aside. "People who've had no problems before are suddenly developing acute cases of Apathy Syndrome... I've seen it in the news quite often lately. They say it's due to stress, but..."**

**The young man smirks, "Yeah, right. It has to be THEM. Otherwise, it's not worth my time..."**

**"You have a one-track mind..." Mitsuru shakes her head. "Will you be okay on your own?"**

**"Don't worry. I'm just getting a little practice," he replies, turning and walking out of the dorm. The door clicks shut behind him.**

**Mitsuru picks her book back up and sighs. "This isn't a game, Akihiko..."**


	3. April 8th, 2009

~~~ By the way guys, I don't have spellcheck or anything on the stupid program I am using to type this story out on... sooo if you see an error, I'm really sorry. I try to proofread everything, but I'm not perfect... T_T ~~~

Wednesday, April 8th, 2009

_ Gekkoukan High_

On my way to school from the station, this morning, I overheard a delightfully pointless conversation.

"Did you hear the rumor...?"

"Oh, um... something about... a bathroom?"

"N-no! Not that one! I mean the story about the first-year student! Not only did she stop coming to school, she does nothing but sit and stare at the walls all day. If her mother tries to talk to her, she only mutters to herself, 'It's coming... It's coming...!'"

"Huh. How about that."

"You don't believe me...?"

I'd entered the school lobby and was just taking off my shoes when the first bell rang. "Shit... gotta hurry." I hesitated for a moment before walking quickly up the stairs to find my classroom.

_Composition Class_

"Open your textbooks and we'll take a look at the first novel by... Zenzou Kasai." Ms. Toriumi's expression became one of disgust. "Ugh... why him? I'd rather teach Utsubo Kubota. He became famous as a singer, but he's also produced fine literature. I wonder why it's not in the textbook. Well, I'll just bring Kubota's book next time."

Ms. Toriumi closes her textbook and glares at Junpei, suddenly. "...Hey, Junpei! Were you listening? Who did I say was my favorite author?"

Junpei had been sleeping... he awoke suddenly, looking around the room as though he were lost. "H-huh? U-Ummm..." He catches my eye and leans over as nonchalantly as possible. "Psst! Who does she like?"

I hadn't been paying too much attention because I'd been distracted by the amount of amusement I'd found in the repetetive and completely useless action of twirling a pencil around on my desk... however, I was fairly certain that I had caught the name of the author our teacher had mentioned a few moments ago.

"Utsubo Kobota," I whispered back. Junpei repeated the answer, out loud, to our teacher.

Ms. Toriumi looked suprised. "That's right! So you were listening to me after all!"

Junpei laughed awkwardly, scratching his head. "Well, you know how I like to pay attention!" He glanced over at me again, with a grin. "Man, you saved my bacon, Emiko!"

I shrugged and went back to my pencil-twirling, overhearing a classmate talking about me. "Emiko gave him the answer... She must pay attention in class!"

I laughed a little, under my breath, at that statement. But, hey, may as well let them think what they want...

...

After school, there was literally nothing to do. I decided to just go back to the dorm.

...

I closed the door to the dormitory behind me and noticed Yukari was in the lounge, talking with an unfamiliar man...

"Oh, she's back." Yukari said, beckoning me over. I took a seat beside her on the couch.

The man turned to face me. "So, this is our new guest... Good evening. My name is Shuji Ikutsuki. I'm the Chairman of the Board for your school. 'Ikutsuki'... Hard to say, isn't it? That's why I don't like introducing myself. Even I get tongue-tied sometimes..."

I laughed a little, out of politeness; he continued speaking. "I apologize for the confusion regarding your accommodations. However, it may take a while longer before you receive the proper room assignment. Is there anything you'd like to ask?"

I considered this for a moment... "No, not really."

He nodded. "Then, I hope you have a successful school year. Now, if you'll excuse me... You must be tired from all the excitement. You should go to bed early. As they say, 'The early bird catches the bookworm'! ...Please forgive the bad pun," he laughed, awkwardly.

Yukari sighed. "You'll get used to his lame jokes."

I wasn't entirely certain of that, myself... but I was certain that I was, again, quite tired tonight...

...

I decided to go to bed early again, tonight.

...

_**Later, at a certain room in the dormitory...**_

**Mitsuru enters the room and is greeted by the chairman. "Working hard? So, how's she doing?" Mitsuru takes a seat beside the chairman, in front of a bank of consoles.**

**"She went to bed a little while ago. She's asleep now. Mr. Chairman, do you think she's...?"**

**Ikutsuki glanced at his watch, "Well, let's wait and see, for now. ...The Dark Hour is approaching."**

**...**

**The chairman checks a moniter. "Hmm... She's still sleeping. The Dark Hour occurs every day at 12 midnight; you could say it's the "hidden" hour. During this time, an ordinary person transmogrifies into a coffin, and is oblivious to all that occurs."**

**Yukari nods, "Then, she must be..."**

**"As you can see, she's retained her human form. She's asleep, but she's definitely experiencing the Dark Hour. The only question that remains is whether or not she has the potential," Ikutsuki muses. "Although, she must. ...If she didn't, they would have preyed on her by now."**

**"Scary..." Yukari shivers.**

**"In any case," the chairman concludes, "we should continue to moniter her for a few more days."**

**Mitsuru nods, "Yes, Sir."**

**"I feel kinda bad, though," Yukari admits with a frown, "spying on her like this..."**

**...**

"... Master ... Master Emiko Arisato..."

Darkness... I'm flying through the darkness... and suddenly, a glowing, blue door appears... It opens, and I fly into it.

I find myself sitting in a chair on an... elevator? It's moving upwards rapidly. The carpet and the decor of the room is entirely blue, and I'm sitting in front of a table... on the other side of which, is a creepy, hunch-backed old man in a suit. His nose is of notable proportions...

"Welcome to the Velvet Room. My name is Igor. ...I am delighted to make your acquaintance. This place exists between dream and reality, mind and matter... Only those who have signed the contract can enter this place..."

I glance at the paper lying on the table before me... He has the contract I signed the other day, when I first arrived here. I, now, stared at Igor with more uncertainty and confusion than before.

"Henceforth, you shall be welcome here in the Velvet Room. You are destined to hone your unique ability, and you will require my help to do so. I only ask one thing in return... that you abide by the contract, and assume responsibility for the choices you make."

He stops speaking and looks at me expectantly. I am at a complete loss for words, but somehow I manage to tell him, "I don't get it."

Igor nods. "... That is fine, for now. Hold onto this..." He slides a key across the table to me, and I pick it up. It vanishes in my hand, in a sudden glow of warm, white light.

"There is still one more resident of this room, who unfortunately could not be present for your arrival. But I'll make sure you two are properly introduced. Another time, perhaps. 'Til we meet again..."


End file.
